cummins



Y(No Model.) I 2 sheets-sheen 1 P. H. CMMINS.

WHEEL.

N0. 393,218. tented NOV. 20, 1888.'.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2..

P. H. GUMMINS.

WHEEL.

No. 898,218. Patented Nov. 2o, 1888.-

6pm/6148088 o www emph. wmimm n. c.

` UNITED STATES PATENT Ori-rca PATRICK H. OUMMINS, OF AMSTERDAM, NEVYORK.

WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,218, dated November20, 1888.

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. OUMMrNs, of Amsterdam, in the county ofMontgomery and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form part of this speciflcatiominwhich- Figure l is a side View ofmy improved wheel, the felly being partly in section to show theattachment of the spokes thereto.. Fig. 2 is a detail side view of thesame, partly in section, the ,felly and spokes being broken away. Fig. 3is a detailside view ofa modified construction of the hub. Figs. 4 and 5are detail views of a modification. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detail viewsof the spoke-fastenings.

This invention relates to improvements in wheels; and its objects are toprovidea knockdown-wheel that can be readily and quickly put together ortaken apart, to provide an ad` justable sectional compensating hub thatwill automatically adjust itself to compensate for strain on the spokesand fellies, and to improve the fastening of the spokes to the felliesor rim and to the hub-sections.

The invention consists in 'the novel construction and arrangement ofparts for effecting the above objects, as will be fully understood fromthe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and concisely stated in the annexed claims.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates a sleeve or shaft, andB B are similar oppositely-faeing disks or hub-sections thereon,whichdisks have the central ring portions, b, by which they are supported onthe sleeve. The portions b may be provided with lugs on their innerfaces engaging in grooves in the sleeve or shaft or secured thereon inother proper manner, so that the sections B will turn with the sleeve orshaft, but have free lateral play thereon.

On the iiaring portions of disks B are formed the radial series ofoutstanding curved flanges C, the apex of said flanges being toward theaxis of the hub, as shown.

c c designate lips projecting inwardly from (No model.)

aring portions of the disk below lips c, so

that the said disk can he cast without the employment of cores.

D D are coiled springs placed on sleeve A between the disks B, andseparated by a central collar, a, on said sleeve or axle, so that eachspring will act against the adjoining disk independently of the other.If desired, a single coiled spring might be employed, the collar adispensed with, and the spring secured centrally to the axle or sleeve,its opposite portions then having precisely the same functions as theindependent spring D, described. The object of this arrangement ofsprings is hereinafter explained.

E designates the spokes, which are in pairs, made of rods or wiresbentlikethelett-er V. The ends of the spokes are' headed, as shown, topass through openings f in the felly of the Wheel.

The felly F isprovided withv a series of equidistant openings,f,corresponding in number to the spokes of the wheel, and adjoining eachopeningfis a similar opening, G, communieating with the former openingby a slot, g, which correspondsin diameter to the thickness of thespokes. The headed ends of the spokes are passed through openings f.Then the'spokes are slipped laterally through slots g into openings Gr,which, being smaller in diameter than the headed ends of the spokes,will eft'ectually prevent the retraction of the latter therethrough andlikewise prevent thelateral escape of the spokes through slots g.Openings G are countersunk to receive the heads of the spokes. Ipreferably enlarge the diameter of the spokes adjoining their heads, asshown, and then increase the diameter of opening Gto correspond with theenlargement, thereby more eifectually preventing the lateral escape ofthe spokes through slots g,- or, instead of enlarging the headed ends ofthe spokes, I head them as before, pass them through the openingf andthe slot g into openings G, and before seating the headed ends inopenings G slip on the spokes below their heads conical bushings orarbors H, which may be made in sections or made of loo malleablemetal,split,and then clamped around the end of the spokes after thelatter have been passed through the openings The bushing II will enteropenings G, in which they fit snugly,and effectually secure the spokestherein. In some instances I prefer to use only the openingsf, theseopenings permitting the passage of the headed ends of the spokes onwhich the bushings are then placed, 'and the latter seat themselves inthe openings and prevent the withdrawal of the spokes, as shown.

In settingup a wheel the springs are first placed on the sleeve or shaftA. Then the disks B B are placed on the sleeve. rI`he proper number oftwin spoke-rods are then secured in the openings of the felly, asdescribed, with their bent ends inward. The disks B B are then forcedtoward each other by suitable clamps compressing the springs, and thebent portion i of the twin spokes slipped over the adjoining fianges Cofthe disks and under the lips c c of said fianges. The disks are thenreleased, and springs D D, acting against them, force them apart onshaft A, causing them to tighten the spokes E instantaneously and holdthem taut, as will be evident from the drawings. The eollar on the shaftA, or the point of' attachment of the springs thereto, is in the planeof the felly, and will keep the latter true with the hub, preventingdishing of the wheel, and as either hub-section is partially independentof the other any lateral strain on the wheel and consequent flexing ofthe spokes of a disk will be immediately taken up by the action of thespring against such disk. The spokes radiating from each disk aresecured to the felly alternately with the spokes ofthe opposite disk.

It will be observed that by simply compress- `ing springs D and forcingdisks B B toward each other I can flex the spokes so that they can bereadily unhooked from the fianges C, thus enabling the wheel to bequickly taken apart for transportation, storage, or for rcpairs. It willfurther be observed that I can secure the spokes to the fellyprevious toattaching them to the disk, or disengage them from the latter withoutdisturbing their attachment to the felly, or vice versa.

In Figs. Il and 5 I cut away or form the fiaring portions'of the disksso as to leave merely a narrow outer ring, and connect this ring withthe portions by means of the radial bent arms C', which answer thesamepurpose as flanges C and lips c, already described, but do notpermit the engaging or disengaging of the spokes therefrom unless thelatter are disengaged from the felly. In either case, however, bycompressing the springs and drawing the disks toward each other I canreadily disengage the spokes from the fellies' and disks,and in thefirst instance the spokes can be attached to the disks or to the felly,and in the latter case to the disk for transportation, and when ready tobe set up can be quickly secured to the disk or to the felly by themeans described. It will be seen that I use no screw-threads, require noriveting in setting up the wheel, and that the independently-niovabledisks will automatically compensate flexing of the spokes and true77 thewheel.

When the wheels are to be used on stationary shafts, the keys andsleeves can be dispensed with and the disks turn freely on the shaft oraxle. In such instances the springs may be arranged loosely on the shaftbetween the disks and turn with thelattcr, so thatthey still hold thedisks apart.

Having described my invention, I claiml. 'Ihe combination of theeollared shaft or sleeve and the laterally-movable disks thereon atoppositcsides of the collar, with the springs interposed between said.disks and the collar on the shaft, and the felly and spokes,substantially as described.

2. In awheel, the combination of the fellies and spokes with a shaft orsleeve, two opposite hub-sections or disks mounted thereon and turningtherewith, but cach being independently and laterally movable thereon,and springs on said shaft between and controlling said disks, allsubstantially as and forthe purpose specified.

3. rIhe combination of' the shaft or sleeve with the laterally-movabledisks B B, mounted thereon,having fianges G, lips c, theinterposedsprings between said disks, and the felly and spokes, substantially asand for the purpose described.

4L. The combination of the independentlymovable disksB, constructedsubstantially as described, and the interposed springs D D, controllingthe disks, with the felly having a series of' openings, the pairs ofspokes E, engaging with disks B, and having headed ends passed throughopenings in the felly, and the bushing II, placed on the ends of thespokes to secure them to the felly, all constructed and arrangedsubstantiall y as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I clailn the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

P. IVI. CUMMINS.

Witnesses:

T. II. ALEXANDER, J. M. McDoNNALD.

ICO

